Glass-drawing apparatus.



E. GUELFF, L.'S. DUNN & V. THENIS.

GLASSDRAWING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1912.

191343192, Patented s,

- 4 SHEBTSSHBET 1.

WITNESSES Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

' 4 SHBETSSHEET 2.

T a m L JITNESSES E. GUELFFL. S. DUNN 6; V, THENIS GLASS DRAWING APPARATUS. V v APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s, 1912.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

55 541A 4- a; m V///////// A5 1m E. GUELFF, L. s. DUNN & v. THENIS.

GLASS DRAWING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1912.

1 1 34,1 2., Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

' v i: SHEETS-SHEET 4.

. mun, AND

FFECFI.

GLASSJJRAWZNG APPARATUS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

application filed September 5, 1912. Serial No. 718,771.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Ems ts Gusnrr, LEON S. DUNN, and VicToe Tennis, citisons of the United States of America, residing at Point Marion, in the county of Fayette and State of Pei'insylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Glass-Drawing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a glass drawing apparatus, and the invention aims to provide positive and reliable means, as hereinafter set forth, for safely, economically and expeditiously drawing glass to a cylinder form, the operation being continuously carried on for obtaining glass cylinders of any desired length. I i

The invention further aims to provide an apparatus of the above type that can be advantageously used in connection with a continuous process, the apparatus involving simple and effective means whereby glass cylinders of various dimensions can be drawn of desired lengths.

The invention still further aims to accomplish the above results by an apparatus that permits of drawn and cut cylinders being safely handled and transferred to a desired point.

The invention will be hereinafter spe ciiically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such changes, as in size, shape and manner of assemblage, as fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

In thedrawings, wherein like numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views z-Figure 1 is aside elevation of the apparatus, Fig. 2 is a front eleva tion of the same, partly in section, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the adjusting mechanism forming part of the endless cylinder guides and conveyor, Fig. 4c is a plan of the'same, Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the adjusting mechanism taken on the line VV of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a bearing forming part of the apparatus. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a detached cross head used in connectionwith the bearing shown in Fig. 6, Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of a penumatic drawing head, Fig. 9 is a plan of the same, Fi 10 is a horizontal sectional view of t drawing head taken on the line XX is Fig. 8, Fig. 1]. is an enlarged horizontal St tional view of one of the cylinder elevators, and Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a tached conveyer member.

An apparatus in accordance with this in vention embodies a frame Work that can be erected in a factory, the frame Work having platforms representing difi'erent working floors of the factory. The frame Work supports an adjustable endless cylinder guide and conveyor that islocated in proximity to a glass pot, tank or other receptacle from which molten glass can be drawn. Provision is made in connection with the guide and'conveyer whereby it can be easily and quickly adjusted, without interfering" with the operating mechanism thereof, for guiding and moving cylinders of various sizes. Located above the guide and convcyer is a derrick having a pneumatic drawing head that supplies air to a drawn cylinder and maintains the same in cylinder form. Located in proximity to the derrick is a cylinder elevator by which drawn and cut cylinders can be lowered to another department of the factory.

The principal elements of the invention as mentioned above, will be hereinafter separately and specifically described in detail and reference will now be had to the frame work.

Frame worlc.-The;frame work as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a main floor 1 provided with uprights 2 and 3 sup porting a superimposed floor 4 and 'a roof or another floor 5, this frame work being easily embodied in a factory structure. The

fioors 1 and! have vertically alining openings 6 and 7 respectively that are directly above a conventional form of glass pot, tank or receptacle 8 containing molten glass 9. The frame work can be made of wood or metal and suitably braced throughout.

Endless cylinder guides and 'conocy er.-'

Located upon the floor 1 are sets of longitudinally alining bearings 10 for the lateral flanges 11 of oppositely disposed angle frames 12, each frame having an upright 13;

The flanges 11 and frames 12 are adjustable in the bearings 10. The uprights of each frame have the upper ends thereof connected togetlier and journaled in the lower ends.

of said uprights are transverse shafts 14 and 15 provided with sprocket wheels 16. The

over said wheels and the wheels 16/are endless sprocket chains 22-that support curved members 23 having the/ ends thereof pro vided with yieldable sleeves or cushions 24.-

v The members 23 made of layers of asbestos are equally spaced andthe members of one chain confront the members 'of the other chain, as best shown in Fig. 2. The sprocket chains 22 at the confronting sides of the uprights are braced by adjustable plates 25 having side arms 26 adjustably connected by screws 27 to the outer sides of the uprights 13. The plates 25 prevent 'the chains from yielding or sagging when cotiperating in elevating a cylinder.

Adjusting and operating mechanism of the cylinder guides and e0noe7 er.-Located adjacent to the guides just described is a mechanism for moving the angle frames and operating the endless sprocket chains thereof, this mechanism being illustrated in Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive. The mechanism comprises a bearing 28 located at one side of the open ing 6 and at one side of the endless guides. The bearing'has two upright parallel arms 29 connected by a socket 30. The arms 29 are longitudinally slotted, as at 31,- and ex tending into said slots are the tongues 32 of cross heads 33. The cross heads 33 are arranged at the inner sides of the arms and journaled in said cross heads are the spindles 34 of meshing gear Wheels 35. These gear wheels .mesh with gear wheels 36 mounted uponthe shafts 14 and 15, said shafts extending through curved yokes 37 pivotally mounted uponthe spindles 34 of the gear wheels 35. Extending; through the upper ends of the yokes 37i 3 'Q., 'GWS 38 having the inner ends thereof connected by a coupling head 39 that is rotatably-mounted in the socket 30 carried by the arms 29. The end of one of the screws 38 has a crank 40, whereby said screws can be revolved and the yokes adjusted thereon. As the yokes are adjusted the cross heads 33 are raised and lowered in the parallel arms 29 and the shafts 14 and 15 are moved toward or away from each other; thereby shifting the an le frames supporting the endless sproc :et chains. 3 The end of the shaft 15 has a large sprocket wheel 41, whereby power from a motor or other suitable'source can be employed for imparting movement to the gear wheels 35 and 36 and the sprocket wheels 16 and 21.

Drawing head derrz'e7c.-Arranged' upon the superimposed floor 4 'is adrawing head derrick comprising a swiveled mast 42 havihg the ends thereof supported by the floors 4.- and 5. The upper end of the mast has fixed thereto a cross head or boom 43 provided; with revoluble sheaves 44 and 45. The former can be used in" connection with an additional drawing head and passing over the latter is a ca le 46 th at is attached to and wound upon, a turn 47 supported by the mast 42', said/drum having a crank 48 avherebythe cable-46 can be easily wound or unwund upon the drum. The mast 42 has a pivoted crank 49 that can be used for swinging the derrick, as will appear in the general operation of the apparatus.

" Da'wwz'ng heaah-Reference will now be had to Figs. 1, 8 to 9 inch/dive showing a drawing head, comprising a .cylindrical casing 50 thatlias the upper/end thereof closed and the lower end open and. shaped to provide an inwardly projecting annular flange 51 that hasa collar 52.- The casing 50 has inwardly projecting arms 53 supporting an inverted cup 54 having the side thereof vertically alining with the collar 52. The collar 52 and the cup 54 are spaced apart and connected by a flexible sleeve 55, of expansible material, said sleeve having the ends thereof suitably connected to the .collar and the cup 54. The sleeve 55 cooperates with .the casing 50 in providing an exterior air compartment 56, the inner Wall of which is formed by the sleeve 55, consequently the inner wall of said compartment can be expanded to increase the area of said compartment. The casing 50 is provided with a hanger 57 extending into said casing and the inner end of said hanger supports a cup 58. The cup 58 coiiperates with the inverted cup 54 in supporting a flexible and inflatable clamping member 60, said member coiiperating with the sleeve 55 in gripping the upper end of a cylinder 61. The elements 55 and 60 are lined with rubber. ranged upon the top of the casing 50 is a valve body 62 provided with a twoway valve 63 which may exhaust to the atmosphere. The valvebody 62 has a pipe 64 extending through the top of the casing into the inverted cup 54' and in communication with the interior. of the clamping member 60. The pipe 64 constitutes an air inlet pipe, and the valve body 62 is in communication with the air compartment 56 through the medium of a port 65, whereby said compartment can be filled with air. The valve body62, has a pipe 66 extending through the casing 50 and in communication with the interior of 'the cylinder 61. This pipeis provided with a. twoway valve 67 whereby the same can be closed and a pressure of air maintained in clamping member 60 or said valve ad 1 whereby said clamping member can t to the atmosphere. The valves 63 a. of the ordinary and well known and connected to the valve body 62 is i able air supply pipe 68. This pipe is ably'in the form of a hose and the end thereof is loosely supported, as at the boom i3 of the derrick previously ed to. The upper end of the hanger.

acted to the cable 46 and is pro- 1 spider 70. lhe spider has del'l that extend below the lower ee casing 50, whereby the drawing in upon the floor t above the 2 thereof.

comprises a casing having inner and enpansible or retractible walls that coin gripping, without danger of .r upper end of a cylinder; The P101) or the walls of the casing is acaplished by a pressure of air and the reaction of said walls by an exhaust of the compressed air within the casing.

"inc I67 denature-Reference being had "l. 11, it will be observed that frame work is provided with The means 1 lowering cylinders.

rm of an elevator comprising v re cylindrical cages 72 having i I and movable sections 74, whereby c be easily placed in the cages. 7

J h are counter-balanced by each other as will in a manner be hereinafter more specifically referred to. The movable sections T l are hinged, as at 75 and locked in a closed position by a conventional form of catch 76, the movable sections 7-l'swingin; somewhat similar to doors. The heads 73 are provided with diametrically opposed guides 77 that slide upon vertical guide rods 78 arranged in parallelism and extending from the lioor 1 to the floor 5, as best shown in onuccted to the upper heads 73 of the canes 7:2 are the ends of a cable 79 that passes over rcvoluble sheaves 80, carricd by brackets 81 secured to the side of the frame work. The cable 79 is wound upon a revoluble sheave or pulley S2 and the movement of this sheave or pulley is controlled by a brake-lmnd 83, a lever 84: and a ratchet mechanism 93. said ratchet mocha.- nism peru'iitting of the lever 81 being locked,

i Fig. l.

whereby one of the cages can be safely loaded prior to ijlesccnding. The weight of a cylinder in one of the cases is sutiicient to elevate the empty cage, consequently a cage always moved into position. to be loaded. in iuali' if the cages of interwoven Wire or aforaniinous body, air is permitted to circulate through the same and cool the cylind carried thereby.

i213 opcmtam-ln operation, an ordi- I From the above descrip it will be observed that the drawing ing of glass from the pot S can be continuously carried on as long as molten glass is supplied to the pot 8. It is through the medium of the mechanism shown in Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive that the endless oppositely disposed chains can be adjusted to coiiperate with the drawing head in drawing av cylinder from the pot 8. The drawing head not only holds and guides the end of the cylinder 61, but supplies air whereby the cylinder will be maintained in a blown form. After the drawing head has been elevated a desired distance, the cylinder can be out by the ordinary and well known. means and the derrick swung to oneside to place a cylinder in one of the cages 72. After the cylinder has been deposit-ed in the cage '32, the drawing head can be removed and swung and lowered to clamp the upper end of the cylinder held by the endless guides. While the drawing head is swinging a section of cylinder onto the elevator, there is a cessation in the operation of the cages until the drawing head can be returned and clamped upon the end of the cylinder to be further drawn. T he elements and cannot be injured or spoiled by the heat due to the fact that the cylinder is elevated thirty feet above the level of the melting tank before the elements 55 and 60 are brought into action so these latter cannot be spoiled by the heat for the reason that the cylinder is sufficiently cool to enable one to set his hands thereon. If at any time the cylinder would be too hot, 2. fan is employed to cool it off.

e attach considerable importance to the construction of the drawing; head. particularly the inner expansible walls that frictionally grip the end of the cylinder and provide a non-leaking and air tight connection whereby air can be supplied to the cylinder. The supply of air to the cylinder is only necessary while the endless guides are in operation and molten glass is being withdrawn from the pot 8.

What we claims is 1. In a glass drawing apparatus, a frame work, cylinder chains arranged upon said frame work for moving a cylinder vertically thereof, a drawing" head movably supported in said frame ,worln'said drawing head comprising a casing. expansible walls arranged in said casing for gripping the end of a cylinder movable between said chains, and means for supplying air to said casing to expand the walls within said casing.

2. In a glass drawing apparatus, tl acont draw a cylinder between said chains, said drawing head, comprising a casing, flexible expansible walls arranged within said casing for gripping the upper end of a cylinder, means for supplying air to said casing to expand said Walls, and means for elevating said drawing head. i

In testimony whereof we a'fiix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

ELISEE GUELFF. LEON S. DUNN. VICTOR THENIS. Vitnesses GEORGES DEBUOEY, LEON DUMONT. 

